DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-11-02
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 119:73-74
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷³ You made me; you created me.
    Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
⁷⁴ May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy,
    for I have put my hope in your word.

APPLICATION: It makes my heart glad when others recognize who my earthly dad is, based on their observation of my words and/or my actions. How much more will it mean to me when they recognize that I am a Christian and they witness the character of Jesus Christ in me? If that’s not happening to you dear friends, then I believe that it’s time you refamiliarize yourself with God Word – His teachings and His guidance for us to follow each day. David said in our verses today that it is not natural for us to automatically follow God’s commands. You see, we are in this old world, and we want to please everyone we come into contact with. Not necessarily to become the most popular guy/gal, but so that we won’t stand out like a sore thumb. Perhaps we should say like the Psalmist: “Please Lord, give me the sense to follow Your commands”. I believe it is just human to do what pleases those around us, even when we know right from wrong, or the right thing to do or say in response to what the Holy Spirit is teaching and guiding us to do and speak. Unfortunately, this also carries over into the church. That’s why you will see some churches practicing certain beliefs and others are a lot more liberal. They know what the Word of God says/teaches, but they don’t want to lose ‘important’ members by insisting on being different to the world in which they live. Friends, some of the commands that David learned was ‘follow Me and I will make you fishers of men’; and ‘Come out from the world and be separated’; and ‘Do not love the world and the things in it. If you do, the Lord is not in you’; etc. But how would David have known these things? Notice that David knew this would not come natural to his carnal mind, so he asked God to give him the good sense to follow His commands. We are no different. To turn away from the things that we have always done, we need God to give us the good sense and determination to desire to know Him in a more personal way and follow His commands. To know His commands, we must study His Word daily and allow it to be embedded into our hearts so that we would turn away from our evil, worldly ways, and instead fix our eyes on Jesus and His teachings/commands. Oh, that others will have cause for joy because of the good works of Jesus in and through us!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: May others not only experience the love of Christ in us, but may they rejoice and find hope in knowing that God can still change the world!

PRAYER: Lord, I can easily say like the Psalmist, please put some sense into me that will cause me to explore Your teachings and be willing and obedient to Your instructions. Please touch the heart of all who will happen across this devotional today and draw them to Yourself where You could counsel and mold them into being all that You intended for them. May people that we meet find joy in us because of our walk with You and our determination to be obedient to Your commands. In Christ we can be more than conquerors. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!